This morning, like every other weekday morning, dear reader, I went to class. And in this class, we surprisingly had a interesting topic of discussion: modern Chinese concepts of marriages an relationships. Our class reading mirrored much of what I’d already heard and read about marriage and divorce in China: men can get away with pretty much anything and women have very little rights to get divorced of their own free will. On divorce, many scholars view the lack of women’s rights in maariage to signify that the Chinese system of law and morality is “behind,” and that the Chinese will “catch up” to Western countries as they continue on the path of economic and political development. Women’s rights will continue to grow in importance and, in a logical train of events, this will lead to complete gender equality and even elections in China.
However, I don’t think that is going to be the case. In this area, as with so many other facets of culture, the Chinese are picking and choosing exactly which Western mores they would like to follow, and in some cases, are choosing a course unlike their Western counterparts. China, as a whole is rejecting many “Western” aspects of marriage and dating – a romantically involved courtship, freedom to choose your spouse without a large amount of influence from parents, or premarital couples living together.
I was chastised on this day for “being unprepared” for my class of the morning because I used the opportunity to study and memorize characters for the morrow’s test. I was studying and memorizing characters in class while participating in the class discussion, which is something that I frequently do while I am at Ole Miss. It helps me to memorize the characters while using the characters in discussion, and I did not think anything of doing it in class. Why should I? But the teacher thought that I was being “extremely disrespectful” and that I was interrupting the class. I decided not to postulate that no one had noticed that I was studying in class until she stopped teaching and made a ruckus. I mention this rather unimportant event because, to me, it represents just one way that professors in the States and China are different. If you may forgive my generalization on this matter – albeit a rather accurate one in my opinion, Chinese professors and teacher expect their students to be extremely deferential to their whim, which involves learning in the way that they would like you to and no other way.
I had a break in between classes, in which I went over to the dumpling shack and got some food with Alex. On a whim, I walked over to a “used book seller” not far from the dumpling shack that sells English books. Although I still had several books to read, I went to take a look. I do not know if you are aware of this fancy of mine, but I am rather fond of Michael Critchon books. I have read nearly every one of them, but on this day, I found a copy of a Critchon book that I had never even heard of before: Five Patients. The book was one of Critchon’s earlier books – from 1969, and I bought the copy with zeal.
I returned to class, satisfied with my purchase, to attend one-on-one class with Teacher Sun. I will say this about Teacher Sun: she is a tough teacher, and always grades hard. Today was no different.
Then, I came back to the dorm and intermittently studied, checked email, skyped, and read some in The Stiglitz Report: Reforming the International Monetary and Financial System in the Wake of the Global (Financial) Crisis. This book was written by the chair of the UN commission on economic development, in coordination with economists from all over the world. It book is turning out not to be as interesting as I had hoped. The book is rather dense – and while denseness is not something that usually deters me from reading a book – the dryness of the book did, and I do not agree with many of the claims that the book is making. I would love to talk more about the book, should anyone desire to expound economic theories.
I again went over to Bally, which, again, saved me from boredom and getting cabin fever. I am rather proud of myself at Bally today, I have been steadily increasing the pull-ups, and I would say that I did a respectful number today, although Doc Severe might not have been too impressed.
I had just enough time to run back to the dorm and change clothes before getting food at Ma La Tang (Make-Your-Own Soup). The reason we all keep going back to Ma La Tang is the vegetables: One can hardly find good, not-overcooked vegetables and Ma La Tangsells vegetable in plenty. I then rode my bike over to the fellowship, making the land speed male record from MinZu to HaiDian on an undersized girl bike.
When I got there, I met Biscuet and his friend Stephen – a professional photographer from Birmingham. We chatted while the team got ready to play for the evening (it was not my turn to play). While we were waiting, I also met Dustin and his wife Márcia, who is from Brazil. It was great to talk to other Westerners. As none of them could really speak Chinese and it seemed that the presence of so many Westerners was interrupting the service, they planned on going out to eat. There was one problem; they didn’t know anywhere that they could go. I volunteered to serve as translator and pseudo-guide to them, and we ate at the BBQ restaurant near the HaiDian Church. They ate lamb chuars, chicken gizzards, grilled bread, and some cucumbers – a fairly good BBQ meal, if I may say so.
Over dinner, I learned some more about the workings of ELIC and also the nature of Stephen, Dustin, and Márcia. I could write a lot about the discussion from that night, but I will refrain from doing so as of current.
After dinner was paid for and duly consumed, I rode with Dustin and Márcia to their apartment in RenDa. The route to RenDa was almost identical to the route that I would have taken back to MinZu, and taking my leave of Dustin and Márcia, I proceeded to follow 3rd ring road back to the dorm, where I studied some more for the test. In preparation for the festivities of test day, Shazeda and Lillian came by the room to discuss tomorrow’s debate on international marriages. This debate will surely be interesting, and I am looking forward to debate with a Chinese person. I have the sneaking suspicion that they are going to eat our lunch, but I am ready.
Today had been nothing if not a fruitful day!
I’ll write soon!
Love,
Jamey
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